The railway station in Poznań is to be demolished. It will be replaced by a new one

The railway station in Poznań is out of luck. Troublesome communication, the dominance of a shopping centre and a rather peculiar architectural form that helped it win the Macabre of the Year title in 2013. Now the city, together with the railwaymen, plans to redevelop the building to make it a landmark of the city and a traveller-friendly facility. One option also involves the complete demolition of the current station building, which is sometimes referred to by locals as the ‘breadbox’.

The current railway station in Poznań was built according to a design by Bose International Planning and Architecture, in connection with the organisation of the 2012 European Football Championship in Poznań. The modern facility was to welcome guests from all over Europe, and its official opening took place on 29 May 2012.

The City of Poznań is planning to sign an agreement with the Polish State Railways (PKP) under which the railway station in Poznań will be rebuilt. This is only the initial stage of the work. During the next ones, we will find out what the facility may look like. An architectural competition will decide on this. The aim is to create a comfortable, functional and passenger-friendly facility.

The topic of the redevelopment of the station has been taken up by the Municipal Urban Planning Laboratory in Poznań, which is working on spatial analyses for the city hall. What is important is that not only the building as a service point for passengers is to be changed, but also the track system and platforms are to be reconstructed. This is supposed to make communication around the facility easier. Today, unfortunately, this is the problem of the Poznań railway station. The new numbering of the platforms, introduced a few months ago, has only moderately improved passengers’ orientation in the space.

Today, the station building is located above platforms 1-3. To get to the others, you have to leave the building or use the old subway. The new building is expected to be different from the current one.

Right next to it is the old station, which operated in Poznan for more than 150 years. It is a brick edifice that has been covered with a thick layer of grey plaster. We publish an archive photo in the gallery below. The island station was intuitive for passengers. In the central part there was a staircase leading to a tunnel from which one could walk to the right or left and access the platforms. Although the tunnel is still in operation today, it is no longer connected to the current station building. Passengers use it to get to the tram stop or to use the exit through the Western Station.

The city authorities and the railwaymen want to offer a new quality. The station is to be integrated into its surroundings and be a showpiece for the city. The building is to be located above all platforms, at the level of the Dworcowy Bridge and Glogowska Street. This solution is to make it easier for travellers to cross into the city.

Interestingly, the railway infrastructure is to be rebuilt. The track layout and platforms are to be redesigned. Ultimately, Poznań Główny station is to have eight platforms, all through and with double edges. The platforms are to be adapted for High Speed Rail.

The new station in Poznań is to be a transfer hub for long-distance, suburban and urban transport.

The analysis conducted by the City Planning Studio, in cooperation with the Office for Coordination of Projects and Revitalisation, the City Conservator of Monuments, the Department of Urban Planning and Architecture, the Management of Municipal Roads, the Management of Municipal Transport, and with the participation of the Polish State Railways (PKP), indicates new solutions allowing for the creation of very important connections with both the existing and new parts of the city – for example with the new Musical Theatre seat or the developing buildings in Składowa Street. The key directions of access to the station from the city centre will be preserved, but new ones will also appear, such as a convenient connection with the MTP area,” reads a press release from the Poznań City Hall.

Poznań officials emphasise that they focus on high quality, which is why an architectural competition will be announced. Its rules and deadline are to be announced soon. Will you miss the ‘breadbox’?.

source: poznan.pl, Municipal Urban Planning Studio in Poznań

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